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> Destinations > The Bahamas > Trip Reports > Trip Report
We have traveled the islands and Mexico extensively and I have to admit that I really loved our vacation at Our Lucaya... we just returned home last night! The entire trip was fantastic... it just goes to say that you shouldn't believe all the yentas writing all the negative garbage on message boards... there are just some people who wouldn't be happy with a solid gold bar. I am not talking about the folks who had some of their things stolen while on vacation as I feel for them. We are very security conscious on all of our travels. I would never leave my door ajar even for a moment but I live in south Florida. As far as cover-ups go...there are robberies at Disney World on a daily basis of this nature yet no one thinks twice about going there... Las Vegas as well...such is life these days.
We chose this vacation as a reward for our granddaughters grades and wanted to do something special that was a good family value, the Discovery cruise package to Breakers Cay at Our Lucaya with the Family Fun plan fit the bill perfectly. What a vacation!
The Discovery ship is of course a very old ship, however, it has been meticulously maintained, is clean and the crew makes up for the small ship with sheer energy and kindness. You have to take it for what it is... alternate transportation to Grand Bahama Island! We really didn't expect much due to the naysayers but it was a great way to get to the resort, was incredibly inexpensive and simply very enjoyable. The breakfast and lunch buffets were well-prepared, hot foods hot and cold foods were cold, tasty with a nice selection of desserts... I have to admit it was good. The number of people who simply left the breakfast table without leaving a tip... shocked me. We left a generous tip and the maitre d came and pulled us into the dining room for lunch and recognized us days later when we arrived for the nicer dinner they serve. People just don't realize you reap what you sow in regards to attitude.
Our Lucaya was a magnificent family resort. We quickly checked in, everyone was all smiles and couldn't seem to help us enough. Our ocean front room in Breakers Cay was modern, sleek, immaculately clean, plenty of towels... it was very nice. We unpacked, changed into our suits and set out to check out the beach! Resort grounds were perfect, not a scrap of paper on the ground and it was obvious that no expense was spared in architecture and design of the grounds. The use of color and landscaping interplaying with the pools and colors of the ocean was beautiful. The infinity pool was a relaxing atmosphere... just a few children... you could float on a raft and listen to the island music. The center serpentine pool was mostly the younger crowd... singles younger couples in the pool bar atmosphere. The sugar mill pool was mostly the kids and younger families due to the proximity of Camp Lucaya and the sugar mill waterslide into the pool. Something for everyone. Most people opted for the pool... while we love the turquoise water of the Caribbean.
The food was very good as well. I am a professionally trained food stylist and chef and I didn't expect much from this resort. We opted for a family fun vacation... the girls were free on the cruise, stayed in our room free and with each adult entrée we ordered the childs entrée was free. It was a good deal for the 4 of us. However, I figured the meals would be bland hotel food type meals... but with the prices in the islands it may come out cheaper to mostly eat at the resort. WRONG... the first morning we went to Zorbas in the Port Lucaya Marketplace and paid $30 for the 4 of us for a nice breakfast of omelets and beverages. At Willy Broadleaf's, at the resort each adult for the buffet is $13.95 and the kids were free... plus we had wonderful breakfasts of freshly cut tropical fruits and juices, warm pastry, traditional American breakfast items along with spicy and unusual selections such as chorizo and peppers, stewed conch in a rich island sauce, cheesy baked quiche, orange and brown sugar crusted ham cut to order, island spiced black beans, curry fried potatoes, coconut French toast, orange pancakes... the selection was delicious and the atmosphere was beautiful. The girls loved eating under the jungle canopies with the rustic hand hammered silverware and jungle patterned plates... this was a great way to start each morning!
Every restaurant was a theme in itself... the food was fantastic. The chefs were top notch at this resort. The breads were all freshly baked and extraordinary... nothing was run of the mill. At Iries, we were served a basket of hot pineapple guava spiced muffins before dinner that were so delicious I had to take them off the table as none of us could keep our hands out of the basket. Iries served island flavored entrees... we sampled cracked conch, blackened grouper and jerk pork... our one granddaughter liked the kids menu selection of honeyed chicken wings. Our check was $45... on the family fun deal... and could not be beat for the atmosphere and food quality. It would have been my first choice of restaurants even if the children were not free. The service was impeccable as well.
We also ate twice at Churchill's... again, great food. Prices were similar to Ruth's Chris or Morton's... and I can see that $27 filets and having to buy a baked potato are shocking to those used to Sizzler prices that come with food bars... but these steaks are aged and this is a fine restaurant with great service. The children had to order from the kids menu ($8 for kids entrees without meal plan including dessert and drink) even on our kids deal but there was a roast beef with mashed potatoes that was very nice that the kids enjoyed and their meal came with the same piece of cheesecake that we paid $7 for. This was the most expensive restaurant at the resort but just like Las Vegas... you can have a $1 shrimp cocktail and $3.95 buffet or you can eat at Picasso's or Circo's and drop $200. This was a bargain at $100 for 4 of us.
China Grill was also very good... with beautiful Asian décor and oceanfront seating... I don't think the prices were out of line. We ordered Asian ribs, a sushi platter and seared tuna salad... the littlest ordered a burger. Everything was delicious, well presented... our check was $30 with the kids deal plan.
One of the most memorable times was the Bahamian Junkanoo night at Barracudas. The buffet was excellent... a long table of various salads, seafood, conch, and crab... carved stuffed tenderloin of pork with guava chutney and large chaffing dishes of ribs, jerk chicken, grouper and probably 15 different desserts. There were Black Forest cakes, cheesecakes, individual crème brulee and bread pudding that was the most delicious dessert I have ever tasted with a bowl of warm vanilla sauce to spoon over it. The show was fantastic and the kids are still talking about it. The band played all the island favorites and had a man playing a saw... the pretty little Bahamian fire dancer grabbed a few Dad's from the nearby tables and taught them to shimmy while the children roared with laughter... the roller skating limbo King somehow managed to slide under a flaming stick suspended by two Kalik beer bottles... and the Junkanoo parade brought down the house with a rhythm that we could feel in our bones and costumes that amazed all of us. This was a great deal at $40 each and once again the kids were free so a great vacation memory for well under $100.
We snorkeled, we played in the ocean, we floated, we got sunburned...we did all the fun things one does on a great vacation. The girls got their hair braided with Dellareese. We ate conch salad and cracked conch at Billy Joes on the beach... thankfully, he hasn't changed much... his location is now a bit more conducive to serving as many burgers as conch salads, but his conch specialties are still fiery, fresh and delicious. We are glad that this island is back... it looked better than it has in years... the people are its greatest asset and we had fun meeting all the smiling faces of GBI.
Thanks to Susan for this trip report ...
July 2002
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